Children behave, that's what they say when we're together
by Nyx Nox
Summary: A series of drabbles based off The Umbrella Academy show. Feel free to send suggestions in! Unfortunately, I do not write reader x character fics.
1. Beating of our hearts is the only sound

The mission was exhausting, the six Hargreeves children beaming despite the tiredness that was taking over when they traipsed in for dinner. Three, four, five, and six had already given their side of the story. It was down to number one and number two. A lull in conversation was enough to give Two the courage to speak up.

"You should have seen how I threw my knives, father," Two beamed. "I hit the—"

"Not now number two," Reginald's voice brought the small boy's thought to a halt, jaw hanging open as he gaped at him. "I am waiting for number one's opinion."

Two's nostrils flared and he balled his hands into fists. His shoulders shook in rage. This happened every time their father asked for a rundown of the day's missions. The others got a chance to speak but he got cut off every time so it seemed as though number one had the important information. He developed a stutter from the constant interruptions when it came to speaking and his father's way of turning to One for information did little to help it.

"S-s-sorry f-father," The rage dissipated the moment he opened his mouth. His ears went bright red and his gaze dropped to his feet. Hours spent practicing talking in the mirror had done him no good.

"S-s-sorry," Reginald sneered and mocked his stutter. "I do n-n-not t-t-t-tolerate st-st-stutterers in this household." The siblings burst into laughter at that. Two's stomach dropped. His brothers and sister were intent on making fun of him. Their mockery was equally as cutting as their father's.

"Y-yeah, N-Number Two," Three smirked. "You left out what you told the guy."

"D-d-do-don't m-m-move, wasn't it?" Six quirked a brow at him. He and Four burst into laughter.

"Pathetic," One added with a smirk.

"Leave him alone," The siblings fell silent, eyes shifting from Two to the interruption. Number Seven narrowed her eyes at the five of them. "You're only going to make things worse."

"Seven, I d-d-don't n-need—" Two trailed off and shook his head, feeling his eyes well up with angry tears. He pushed his seat away from the dinner table and stormed out of the room. His father's claim of not having dismissed him was fully ignored. He could be heard stomping his way up the stairwell. The door slamming would mark his arrival in his room.

He flung himself onto his bed and put his pillow over his head. His form shook from the silent tears. He sniffled loud enough to not hear the door open nearly half an hour later.

A hand touched his back and lightly traced circles over it. The touch froze when he flipped over so he could glare up at whoever caused the intrusion. Two's defensive position dropped when he spotted Grace. The tough mask was gone, replaced with the eight-year old's sobs and look of sorrow.

"I d-didn't m-m-mean t-to—" He cried and wrapped his arms around his middle. He flinched when Grace slipped her arm around his shoulders but soon settled in close to her to accept her embrace. "He didn't n-need—" He could barely get the sentence out so he bit his lip and closed his eyes, wishing he was anywhere besides stuck in his bedroom in the dismal manor.

"There there," Grace sighed and trailed her fingers over his back. "You need some rest then we can practice."

"Pr-practice?" He sniffled and looked up at her, hazel orbs wide when they met her gaze.

"We'll have you talking like a Hargreeves in no time," She grinned. Her expression faltered when Two's fell.

"I d-don't want to t-talk like father," He shook his head. "I w-want to talk like me. And I w-want the others to t-take me seriously."

"You will still be you," Grace reassured him. "If anything, we can work to avoid a repeat of tonight?" She quirked an eyebrow at him. "I will check on you in the morning."

"I would like that," Two nodded and wrapped his arms around Grace's middle. "C-can you sing?"

"Of course," She nodded. "Now sleep well, little one."


	2. Watch how you play

"Dr-drop the g-gun," Two snarled and stood ready to attack, glaring at the man he was facing. His knives were pointed at the man's chest and he held an arm up ready to throw if he didn't comply.

Then the unexpected happened. His demand was met by a fit of laughter while the assailant looked him over.

"Dr-drop the g-gun," The man repeated. He howled with laughter and shook his head. The Umbrella Academy was in the middle of diffusing a standoff in a supermarket. His siblings were handling the other criminals, having left him with one to have fun with. Two's features went bright red. He didn't speak, unwilling to risk being mocked further for the stammer. The idea of throwing the knife came to mind but he didn't dare risk that when he wasn't focused.

Luckily he was saved compromising himself since Number One appeared from nowhere, promptly slamming the man to the ground and sending the gun flying toward two's feet.

"No one makes fun of my brother that isn't family," He scowled and placed his foot on the man's back, applying enough pressure to make him cry out. "Now apologize or it will cost you your life."


	3. I think we're alone now

Dinner was quiet the evening their father didn't join them for the meal. He had unfinished business with number four and the others were left feeling uncertain how to navigate their brother's absence since that left them with five children at the table instead of the six that were left after number five ran away.

In the end, it came down to Grace to get rid of the awkward silence. Their mother rarely joined them at the dinner table since the robot didn't need sustenance. She took a seat in their father's chair and cleared her throat loud enough to get everyone's attention.

"I have decided it is time you each come up with a name for yourselves," She announced. Four confused looks followed her statement, with number two needing to bite his lip to keep from beaming.

"I'm sorry?" Number one quirked a brow at her.

"She means not referring to us as a n-number," Two answered.

"Diego is right," Their mother smiled. "You are old enough to have names now. I am sorry the thought didn't occur before Five left us."

"Diego?" Number One cast a sideways glance at his brother. "That's oddly fitting but there is no way you came up with that on your own."

Number Seven looked up from her meal, eyebrows furrowing together as she realized what Grace was saying.

"Vanya," She murmured. "After the violinist you always tell me about."

"Beautiful choice," Her mother nodded. "And you, Six?"

"The ghosts have been calling Four 'Klaus' since before father introduced him to the mausoleum," He muttered and shook his head. "As for myself… I don't know." He never signed up for his powers to be used in the way his father insisted on so the idea of having a name was thrilling. It would mean a little act of rebellion in response to over a decade of being referred to as a number since the man had little interest in his children outside of treating them as an experiment.

"Why not Benjamin?" It was Vanya that spoke up. "Or Ben?" She bit her lip since she wasn't used to properly speaking to her siblings. They seemed to prefer casting her aside since she was the "normal" one of the bunch.

"Ben," He smirked. "And you can bet I will be telling father he'd best address me as such." He wasn't impressed with Klaus' not being there and intended to make a statement the next time their father needed them all together.

"That may not be the best idea," Vanya sighed.

"I think I want Allison," Number three said before Ben had a chance to say something back to Vanya. "But with two l's. That's far more trendy."

"What about you, Space Boy?" Diego narrowed his eyes at One.

"I— I don't…" He shook his head and glanced at Grace. "Mum what would you suggest?"

"Luther," She offered a small smile. "Meaning leader."

"Luther," Allison nodded in agreement.

"Does this mean you will be calling us by name from now on?" Ben asked.

"And what about Pogo?" Vanya added.

"Yes," Grace nodded. "For the two of us. I can't make any promises about your father. Now finish eating. He expects you all in bed before he returns."

Ben didn't touch the breakfast that was in front of him the following morning. He took a book with him to peruse while the others ate. His father had a record playing in the background and he paid little attention to it, focusing on the words on the text in an attempt to control his temper.

Klaus wasn't home for breakfast. He hadn't come home the night before so he could only assume his father was intent on keeping him at the mausoleum for an extended stay.

It wasn't fair and it wasn't right after everything that happened over the past weeks. Number Five ran away and his absence caused an increase in lessons. Reginald was unforgiving when it came to errors and remained cold and disapproving as ever.

"I notice you haven't touched your food, Number Six," The father spoke up, eyes narrowing at his son.

"My name is Benjamin," Ben scowled and lowered his book. "I will no longer be answering to Six and I won't be eating until Klaus returns."

"Very well," Reginald nodded. "Does anyone else wish to join him in not eating for the day?"

Ben slammed his book on the table at that question. "You can't be serious." He glared at his father. "You're going to push him to the brink of breakdown at this rate. You can't just lock him away in the hope of earning compliance."

"I already have," His father answered with a cold expression. "His insolence earned him that. I would suggest you quit before I am forced to come up with a similar fate for you, Master Benjamin. You are excused and will not be joining us for lunch today."

Ben muttered a few profanities under his breath and abandoned his breakfast. He didn't get too far since the dining room was down the hall from the entrance of the home. He claimed a seat by a window and put his hood on, settling on reading his book as a way to lose track of time.

His book was finished by the time Reginald left the house to retrieve Klaus. He bit his lower lip and left his book on the sofa he claimed as his hiding spot then departed for the kitchen.

"Mom?" The thirteen-year-old called out. "Pogo?" Neither of them was anywhere to be found so he cleared his throat and tried again. "Mother?"

Grace appeared moments later, a small smile on her lips. "Ben," She sighed. "What is it?"

"I need food prepped for Klaus," He murmured. "And I need it hidden in my bedroom once it's ready since I doubt father will allow either of us to touch anything before dinner to make up for my rudeness."

"You know better than to raise your voice at him," Mother reminded him.

"I know," Ben shook his head. "It doesn't make anything he did right though. Klaus deserves better than—" The rest of his thought was interrupted by the front door slamming open. Ben became incredibly alarmed and gave his mother a nervous look. "I've been in my room training the whole time." He then pecked Grace on the cheek and ran out, barely avoiding his father and Klaus' arrival.

Ben hid in Klaus' bedroom. He held his breath, fearing his brother would return looking worse than before. The waiting part was always the toughest.

The footsteps that approached the bedroom were soft, a hand shakily turning the doorknob. Ben perched on the edge of Klaus' bed and bit his lip. The door slowly opened and an exhausted-looking number four entered the room.

"Klaus," Ben exhaled and jumped from the bed to lightly hug him, gaze taking in his brother's appearance. Klaus looked like hell — pale skin, unfocused eyes, and scratch marks down his arms. He didn't let go until Klaus shifted away from him. A choked back sob escaped then he wrapped his arms around Ben.

"Twelve hours," He grimaced. "He left me there." Ben merely rubbed his brother's back. He didn't want to speak in case that lead to interrupting him.

"I'm sorry," Ben exhaled when Klaus became overtaken with sorrow. He was never this quiet — never so shaken. His confidence was gone and Ben felt ready to punch their father in the face for having harmed him.

"I can stay with you for tonight. I- I don't think He plans on feeding me since I stood up to him about your absence but I — Mum should be getting food. Do you need help with running a bath or..?" His question hung unfinished in the air since Klaus tightened his grip around him, holding onto him as though his life depended on it.

"Stay with me," He whimpered and shook his head. "That's all I ask."


	4. They don't understand

Klaus stood in front of Allison's mirror. Her purple skirt rested on his waist and his fingers dug into the soft material. Painting his nails with her nail polish had been unthinkable. Not getting caught left him browsing her closet, having decided that the purple skirt was the only thing to match his nails.

He wasn't sure what possessed him to venture into her closet but one look at the skirt left him under the impression it was meant for him. She had so many skirts as it was — it wasn't as though she would notice it had gone missing. The full-length mirror on the inside of the closet door was the main thing to catch his attention once he slipped the skirt on over his hips. He tilted his head to the side and released a joyous laugh, unable to contain his excitement at seeing his reflection.

It suited him. There was no denying that. He couldn't stop staring at his appearance, drinking in the sight of himself.

"Why are you in my skirt?" Allison's voice made him jump, almost tumbling into her closet in surprise. His face paled when he turned to face her and he looked down at his feet. Words were hard especially given the fact that he was in his sister's outfit and was dressed against the strict guidelines their father had set for a uniform.

"I—" Klaus was saved coming up with an explanation since his sister offered a smile and shook her head.

"Come out," She sighed. He looked relieved and bit his lip. "You should have said you wanted one. I would have given it to you sooner."

"Thank you?" Klaus whispered despite feeling uncertain about how to handle the situation. "I am sorry I didn't ask but I—"

"Don't apologize." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Next time, we're going shopping so you have a few of your own. I'm supposed to use that one for next week's shoot. I think it looks better on you."

Klaus glanced up at her upon hearing that. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do, Klaus," She laughed. "I wouldn't lie to you about that. Nail polish too?"

"Nail polish too," He nodded. "Are you going to tell the others?"

"I'm expecting you to do something flashy so no," Allison winked. "I wouldn't want to ruin that for you."

Klaus stepped forward to pull her into a hug at that, promptly smooching her cheek. "I owe you."


	5. We gotta hide what we're doing

_**CW: Drugs and an overdose reference (very lightly handled due to my not being a fan of the topic so apologies if it's not super realistic seeming. I didn't need to trigger myself)**_

Klaus was fifteen the first time his heart stopped. He and Ben were out partying. Ben was there to support Klaus and had spent the majority of the evening trying to keep him from doing anything stupid. A trip to the bathroom resulted in Klaus seeming far too giddy upon returning.

"You took something," Ben scoffed and narrowed his eyes at Klaus. His hood was drawn up over his head in an attempt to remain anonymous. There was something far too unsettling about the way the girls tried to flirt with him.

"Did not," Klaus slurred. A smirk played across his lips. The attempt at innocence was marred by the dots of white beneath his nose. Ben took a deep breath and pressed his tongue against his cheek, eyes narrowing at his brother.

"We're going home," He stated through gritted teeth. "Now." He took hold of Klaus' arm and tried to drag him. Klaus didn't budge, merely shaking his head and glowering at Ben.

"It's my favorite song," He whined and began to sway to the beat. "You're no fun, you know that?"

"I'm aware," Ben sighed. "But I can't be that much of a killjoy. I quite liked that red pill you gave me." The plan of not partying too hard had been a good one up until Klaus decided to add an additional item to his list of vices. The music was giving him a headache and the drunken shenanigans of his brother were becoming more worrying than amusing.

"Can we go now?" He asked once the song ended. A slight smile graced his features despite the annoyance he felt toward his brother.

"Fineee," Klaus grimaced. He dramatically offered his hand to Ben then allowed him to lead him out.

The next few minutes happened in a blur. Ben was doing most of the talking then Klaus collapsed to the ground. His first instinct was to get to ground level and start tapping Klaus in an attempt to wake him up. It was no use.

Ben let out a horrified shriek. They weren't too far from the venue — just happened to be nowhere near a phone.

He gave another one when no one paid attention then stooped down to check if Klaus was still breathing. There was no pulse so he began to do compressions, only pausing when a passerby spotted him.

"My brother," Ben gasped out. "I—" He couldn't get the words out for fear of getting into more trouble than he was already in. "He needs an ambulance."

The stranger nodded then went to the nearest pay phone, keeping a close eye on the two boys. He returned after calling and offered to take over for the CPR, teeth digging into his lip when the conscious boy said he wanted to do it.

Everyone was pale in the face by the time the fire department arrived. Ben gave a brief description of what happened then said he needed to ride in the ambulance with Klaus. The adult was handed paperwork to fill out and return later, the men in a rush since he was of no relation to the boys.

"Kl-Klaus Hargreeves," Ben stammered and wrapped his arms around his middle. He sat on a chair by the stretcher Klaus was transferred to. Tears were streaming down his face and he had refused to give out the family's phone number. "And I'm Ben."

"You are very brave, Ben," A firefighter admitted. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. "Do you mind if I sit with you while they work on him?"

Ben nodded and curled into himself. He felt like he was going to be sick, watching as the strangers grabbed paddles to use on his brother. It took one zap to cause Klaus to gasp out, groaning as he came to.

"Asshole," Ben whispered and balled his hands into fists. He wiped away his tears and steeled himself. The ambulance had arrived and they rushed Klaus to the emergency room, leaving Ben behind to await the arrival of Reginald. He was left close to the check-in desk. The receptionist occasionally gave him a pitiful look.

Someone cleared their throat and Ben jumped to his feet. The teen stood up straight and placed his arms behind his back, crossing his hands at the wrist. The receptionist looked alarmed. She blinked up at the man that seemingly appeared from nowhere.

"Benjamin," Ben shook when his name was said. Reginald said nothing more to him, promptly addressing the receptionist instead.

"Where is my son?" He quirked a brow. HIs tone made it clear he would not tolerate any sort of silliness.

"They rushed him to a room," She looked up at him. "A possible overdose."

Reginald merely narrowed his eyes at Ben. "Wonderful," He sighed. "I want a breathalyzer and urine test done on this one."

"Father I —" Ben was interrupted by Reginald shifting to show just how much taller he was than him. He gulped and shook his head. "You know I wouldn't."

"Now," He exhaled. The receptionist nodded and paged for a doctor to come speak to the family.

It was a weak lie as it was since one look in Ben's eyes would reveal just how dilated his pupils were. Alcohol clung to his breath despite his desperate attempt to mask it before his father got there.

A nurse came out and Ben was taken aside. His shoulders slumped and his stomach dropped once he was given a hospital bracelet and handed a plastic cup. The instructions of filling the stupid thing should have been easy to follow but he couldn't bring himself to peeing on command. It took his father's fist against the door and a harsh whisper of getting a move on to get him to get a small stream to come out. He shakily placed the cover on the cup then left it in the bin, biting his lip before exiting.

"Surely you don't need the breathalyzer," Ben exhaled. Sobering up had come quick. His father's presence was to blame for it and the severity of the situation left him feeling far too on edge. The room felt like it was spinning but he was pretty certain his nerves were to blame for that one.

Reginald ignored his son and stepped aside so the nurse could look him over. "We are going to need to run a blood test," She sighed. "To compare to the results from your brother."

"Is he okay?" Ben spat out, worry immediately causing his shoulders to slump. "If he needs blood I—"

"Enough," Reginald barked. Ben stood up straight and stared at the nurse, shrinking back slightly before speaking again.

"At least tell me he is okay," He whimpered and bit his lip.

"He is stable," The nurse shrugged. "We were able to get a heartbeat but he's got a lot of recoveries to make up for. I was told not to tell you anything else until we process your labs."

Ben nodded in understanding. They took him to a room of his own to get lab work done, leaving him there for an hour of silence with his father glaring daggers at him before the nurse returned.

"Mr. Hargreeves," The nurse reappeared what felt like ages later. The tension of the room caused her to awkwardly shift on her feet. "Could we speak alone for a moment?"

Reginald narrowed his eyes at Ben then sniffed and got to his feet. Ben could only hear mumbling from outside his room. He didn't dare move for fear of his father assuming he had done something else.

They found drugs on Klaus' person and made the decision to get rid of them, giving Reginald the full-blown overview of the mess his son got into. Ben had done some dabbling as well but nothing to cause any panic. The boy was recovering from being high as a kite and was showing more signs of paranoia and anxiety than anything that could be written off as abnormal.

"What made you do it?" Reginald whispered once back in the room. His expression was hard but his tone came out in a sound that made Ben do a double take.

"We needed to forget," He mumbled. Honesty had not been what he was aiming for but there was no taking it back now that it was out in the open. There were too many expectations that came between the two of them. For Klaus, it was seeing the dead and the overwhelming feeling of doom. Ben merely hated the card he was dealt and believed that anything that could take his mind off the horror inside him was worthwhile.

"He has two weeks of rehab," His father continued. "You will be spending that time doing the same. Grace and I will be the only ones to see you after this evening's disappointment. I will be leaving Pogo in charge of sweeping both your rooms for anything abnormal."

Ben opened his mouth to argue and was met by Reginald shifting to take hold of his jaw, fingers digging in hard enough to make him wince.

"I expected so much more from you Benjamin," He hissed out and dragged his fingernails down, smirking when the teen cried out. "Consider yourself under lockdown until Pogo and I come up with a more creative way to deal with you."


	6. Children Behave

Tiny hands balled into fists when Five refused to stop talking, Number Three's lips transforming into a scowl. The children were respectively four years old and dinner was always a big ordeal. Squabbling was easy to settle since Reginald had no shame in sending the children to bed without a meal. He also used a threat of taking one of them over his knee and making the others watch him spank the child as a repercussion but had yet to follow through on it. The threat alone made the timid tempered children behave better than expected.

"Father has been spending extra time with me," Five smirked then stabbed a piece of meat with his fork. "That means he likes me best."

"Number Five, you know I—" Reginald was interrupted by Number Five's suddenly facing Number Three.

"What did you say?" Five's face was blank. His gaze rested on Three, waiting for her to say whatever she muttered before interrupting their father.

"I heard a rumor you were done talking until after dinner finishes," Number Three glared at him. He fell silent and began to focus on eating his meal. The most unusual thing was the lack of retort. Reginald tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

Three smirked and went back to eating her meal. The other five children were gaping, eyes volleying between Number Five and their father.

"Magnificent, Number Three," Reginald exhaled and took a sip from his wine glass. "How long have you been able to do that?"

"Do what?" The girl looked confused, having failed to realize Five actually complied. "I just wanted him to shut up."

"You found your power," Her father beamed. As far as he was concerned, numbers one through three were the most normal ones of the bunch. One was stronger than the others and Two could hold his breath without going blue if he didn't get his way. Three hadn't shown anything of note up until that moment. "I suppose this gives us a reason to celebrate. I'll have the nannies fetch your coats. I think some ice cream is in order."


	7. Holding onto one another's hands

**_CW: Child abuse reference_**

A loud scream caused Number Seven to wake with a start, wide awake from the cry of one of her siblings. She lay in bed waiting for the moment to pass. It must have been a nightmare but then there was the recognizable plea of "FATHER PLEASE, I DON'T WANT TO" that sent a shiver down her spine. She stuck her feet into her slippers and tiptoed to her door, nudging it open just wide enough to witness her father and a terrified-looking Number Four.

The sound of a slap echoed through the hallway and Seven witnessed Four's shoulders slump in a way that didn't seem natural. His head hung low and he stopped his fussing to obediently follow after their father.

Four and Father were not there at breakfast time. Seven used that as an opportunity to see if Six had an opinion on the matter. She kicked him from beneath the dining room table and narrowed her eyes at him when he kicked back harder than necessary.

'We need to talk,' She mouthed then tilted her head toward Four's empty seat. A satisfied smile graced her lips when he nodded in agreement and mumbled an apology. The rest of breakfast passed with little incident.

"Nah, go on ahead," Six shook his head when Two lingered behind after breakfast ended. "I told Seven I would listen to her play."

"Good luck with that," Two made a face. Seven could play well but he wasn't a fan of any of the instruments that frequented the house.

"That should save us some time," Six chuckled. "And I do like hearing you play. The others are difficult about it is all."

"Right," Seven bit her lip. She would have grabbed her violin but the situation with Four was absolutely dire. "Did you hear the screaming last night?"

"No," Six frowned. "What happened?"

"Father took Four out at three in the morning. I've never heard him cry the way he was," She looked down at her feet. "Do you think we can do something next time around?"

"What do you mean?" Six quirked a brow and bit his lip, thinking.

"I figure two of us is more powerful than one," Seven whispered. "Suppose we tried stopping father from taking him?"

"Seven do you realize what you're saying?" Six gave her a curious look. "Defying him? He would have our heads." He paused. "But Four deserves so much better."

"Exactly," Seven sighed and glanced at her brother. "Father slapped him last night and I — I swear he's working on breaking him."

"We can't have that," Six shook his head. "I happen to like Four just the way he is. We don't need him bending to father's whims."

"Now what?" Seven whispered. "We need a plan for the next time this happens."

"We try to stop him," Six gulped. The very idea was terrifying. "You said it yourself. Two of us is better than one. He would expect it from me but you— I think you would be the one to confuse him enough to reconsider."

"So we wait for the next time he pulls him," Seven nodded in agreement. "And let Four know we're on his side without drawing too much attention."

"Precisely," Six nodded. "Now we just need to hope father doesn't pull him again this week."

Five days passed before their father decided to drag Number Four out again. Seven and Six woke up to the sound of their brother putting up a fight. It was disheartening to hear Four cry out and sound vulnerable but the two had worked out a plan.

"Father?" The scuffling in the hallway paused as both people turned to look at the cause of the sound. Six and Seven stood side by side, with Seven having been the one to speak out loud. Reginald had Number Four gripped tightly by the shoulder. Their brother stood tall but was unable to look them in the eyes in his time of weakness. Six had his arms crossed over his chest, fuming at seeing his brother look so broken.

"What are you doing?" Seven chewed her lip and stepped closer to the pair. Six followed after her and reached for her hand.

"Your brother has special training this morning," Reginald sniffed and narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "It would be best if the two of you went back to bed."

"No," Six scowled. He and Seven held hands as a way of giving each other the courage to continue. She squeezed his hand to ask him to go on. "Four doesn't want to."

"Is that so?" Their father asked. His grip tightened around Four's shoulder. The teen winced and nodded.

"I want to go back to bed please," The thirteen-year-old whimpered. He still couldn't look at his brother and sister.

"Very well," Reginald's expression was unreadable. He used far more force than necessary to shove Four away from him. His son stumbled toward his siblings, shaking when the two put their arms around him.

"Off to bed with the lot of you," Their father narrowed his eyes at the three of them. They all looked away from him. It was one victory but they sincerely doubted the nighttime interruptions were over.

Reginald paid no attention to numbers Four, Six, and Seven throughout the day that followed. That night, however, proved to be one of the most catastrophic on the trio.

Four screamed the moment he woke up to his father's hand over his mouth. Kicking and flailing his limbs did little since the man easily overpowered him and dragged him from his bed.

"No," He sobbed. "You can't make me. I don't want to — PLEASE FATHER." The last part was met by Reginald's shoving him through the doorway to his bedroom.

"What did I say about calling me that?" He hissed out. Four gave a whimper as an answer and glanced behind him toward where Six and Seven's rooms were.

Grace and Pogo stood at the end of the hallway, blocking the two doors. He could hear his brother and sister pounding on their doors and screaming about things not being fair. Turning back toward his father left him feeling his stomach churn.

"It's for the best," Reginald hissed out but allowed Four to linger, the screams of Six and Seven being unable to open their doors mixing with their Mother's reassuring them Four would be fine.

"Now look what you've done," He added with a sadistic smile. "I wouldn't have to worry about locking the others in their rooms if you would go without complaint."

Four's hands balled into fists. "You never ask if I want to," He admitted in a low whisper. "I don't—"

Reginald cut him off by taking hold of his chin and leaning in incredibly close to his face. "You will do what I want when I ask you to," He snarled. "You may not think it fair of me right now but I know what is best for you. We have barely tapped your potential so this is the only way. Now move."

Four realized he didn't get much a say in the matter so he scowled and lead the way out of their home.


	8. What would they say?

The whole liking boys thing had been easiest explained to Number Three. Her having caught Four in one of her skirts confirmed her and Five's theory that there may have been something different about their brother that could see the dead. The two kept quiet about it but Three made a point to let Four know that Five was the one that had noted the difference at first.

Number Seven was the first to know for sure since Four approached her when he realized he didn't fit the cookie cutter family their father seemed focused on. He needed a non-judgmental ear and she was more than willing to listen since the two rarely talked. It had come down to her reassuring him that the siblings would like him no matter what and that he shouldn't spend his whole life worrying about the others' opinions.

Number Two and Number Six's finding out came from the three having snuck out for a party. They had to pull Four away from "the most handsome man [he] ever laid eyes on" to be home before curfew. The trio had started the evening off with flirting with the girls they usually chased after.

Four never made a big deal out of it so they hadn't either. The only time everyone was concerned about him was the day he sent himself toppling down the stairs in Three's skirt and their mother's heels and broke his jaw from the impact. He was still just Four - the sibling that went out of his way to make sure everyone was laughing and smiling before taking care of his own needs - but that didn't get rid of the fact that they were terrified he caused permanent damage to himself. Everyone was grateful their father hadn't been home to witness that catastrophe.

All the siblings had a little bit of fun with letting Number One find out since he was the last to know and easily the most oblivious of the bunch. They planned it for one of their missions and used it against him until Four decided they did enough teasing.

* * *

Number Four was missing. The siblings dismissed that as his usual distracted self likely having found something of interest but Number One couldn't ignore the twisted feeling in his gut. He scanned the building they were in and hadn't spotted Four anywhere. Checking in with The Horror only left him even more confused.

"Nah bro," Number Six shook his head. "I haven't seen him since you insisted I show off." There was no hiding his bitterness toward the subject. It caused both of them to scowl.

"What's the point in having powers if you aren't willing to use them?" One bit out. "Need I remind you that Father expects everyone to participate?"

He heard Six mutter under his breath but didn't stop to retaliate, wrinkling his nose as he approached the back exit of the building. The door was wedged slightly open and he nearly paused to take note of the attack being an inside job. He just happened to hear a low groan come from the other side of it.

One poked his head through the door and was shocked at what he saw. Four appeared to be swapping spit with one of the fanboys that showed up when word spread that The Umbrella Academy was taking care of the situation. He wouldn't have interrupted if it weren't for the direct order of needing to get everyone together for a brief press altercation.

He cleared his throat and winced when the boys broke apart, the sound of their teeth hitting echoing in the alleyway. The teen ran off and Four looked petrified from being caught. He raised both his hands up and couldn't look at his brother.

"You didn't see anything," He mumbled and shifted uncomfortably since the makeout session resulted in his being far more flustered than usual. "The others will—"

"I saw nothing," One repeated then reached toward Four, lightly tucking his tie back into his shirt. "But we need to go. Father wants us all for a photo now that the situation is under control."

That run-in prompted several weeks of Number One sticking up for Four anytime he said something that might cause the others to pick up on their brother's difference The only downside was that the joke was on him — the others were already aware.

Once that was known, the seven siblings were in agreement that their father didn't need to know or find out. He was harsh enough on them all as it was. Tossing another reason for him to bully Four was unthinkable.


	9. If they ever knew

"Who's that lady?" Four's eyebrows furrowed together. He was staring, transfixed, at a wall near where his even numbered brothers stood. There was a solemn-looking woman standing by Number Two. Nothing was wrong with her besides Four having never seen her before and Two and Six looking at him as though he had three heads.

"What lady?" Two raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"There isn't anyone else here, Four," Six mumbled. He and Two exchanged a glance, silently questioning if their brother was okay.

"Yes, there is," Four was adamant about that and took a step closer to her. She appeared to be gesturing to her neck. A small locket hung around it. "What's your name?" He asked and bit his lip.

"Maria," She answered and offered him a small smile. "And you are?"

"Number Four," He murmured. Two and Six exchanged another worried glance but remained at their brother's side. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The lady looked concerned at that but decided not to question it. Seers rarely paid her any attention so the fact that the child was acknowledging her was a blessing in itself.

"Nice to meet you, Four," She settled on saying. Her gaze went from his to the other children, lingering on Number Two a little longer than necessary. "I have a message for your brother."

"My brother?" Four quirked a brow. Two and Six looked alarmed at that, eyes wide as they glanced at one another.

"Your brother," Maria nodded. She hesitated before continuing and pressed her lips together to suppress a frown. "I should have been there to provide a better life for him."

Four paled at that and took another step closer to her. He was oblivious to his brothers' looks of concern.

Maria's shoulders drooped in sorrow. She opened the locket around her neck. A photo of a baby's face was in the center of it. Klaus had seen the same one somewhere in the academy - the very room they were stood in.

"Excuse me," He mumbled then approached the mantle that held all their baby photos. He had to stand on his toes to look but the photo that was in the woman's locket was there. Directly in between Number One and Number Three.

"Two," Four exhaled then turned to face the woman again. Two's eyebrows rose up at his name being mumbled. "You're his mom?"

Maria nodded at that. "I passed shortly after giving birth to him. My relatives put him up for adoption."

"I'm so sorry," Klaus whispered. "Should I -"

"You needn't tell him that," The woman interrupted and shook her head. "Simply tell Diego I love him and am sorry about the card you were each dealt."

"I can do that," Klaus nodded. He went to ask another question but the woman faded from view. His teeth dug into his lower lip then he turned to look at Two.

"Your mother," He murmured. "She appeared to me and said she loves you and that she's sorry."

"You're joking," Two whispered. There was no tone of disbelief to be found though. "There wasn't anyone -"

"She called you Diego and had your baby picture around her neck. You have her nose," Four said in a rush. "I promise I wouldn't make something like that up."

Two chewed at his lip then stepped forward to hug Number Four, holding him tight a moment before he stepped back. "Tell her I love her too."

Number Six merely raised an eyebrow at the two but decided not to question it, recognizing that they needed their alone time.

"If you see my mother," Six interrupted after a moment of silence. "Tell her I say the same thing as well."

Four nodded and pulled Six in for the hug as well. "I promise I will."

"Thank you," Two and Six whispered. The trio jumped apart when someone cleared their throat. They turned to face their father and looked down at their feet.

"What was this meeting about?" Reginald stared at Number Four when he spoke. The child gulped and shook his head.

"Nothing," Four whispered. "We were playing is all."

"Peculiar. I could have sworn playtime was done for today. You should have been studying," His father shrugged. "I think you and I are due for a little chat, Number Four. Run along now, Two and Six." The two did as they were told, leaving a worried looking Four alone with their father.

**A/N:** A review or two would be swell. That said, thank you everyone that has favorited and/or followed these. I'm trying to write lighter themed things but Klaus has been my favorite to focus on and he's got a bit more of a tragic past than the others.


	10. You put your arms around me

"We were playing," Four stood up straight and looked his father in the eye. Reginald did not look impressed. "Honest, sir, we got distracted from reading. It was my fault, not theirs."

"I am not here to listen to you make excuses for your insolence," His father sighed. The Monocle's usual tone of disappointment was nowhere to be found. Recognizing that made Number Four take a steadying breath and relax his posture.

"Sorry," Four offered a nervous smile. "Then why are you here?" His father sighed at that.

"I overheard half of your conversation," He admitted and raised an eyebrow at his son. "You have never been particularly good at lying so I suggest you get your explanation over with."

Four opened and closed his mouth. He pressed his tongue against his cheek while he tried to come up with the best way to explain what happened without giving away the whole story.

"I saw a woman but Two and Six said no one was there," He looked thoroughly confused while explaining it. "She spoke to me and then she disappeared. I— There's something wrong with me, isn't there?"

Four would have caught a rare smile thrown in his direction if he wasn't focused on the carpet beneath his bare feet. He looked up, visibly shocked, when Reginald stepped forward and gently squeezed his shoulder.

"There is nothing wrong with you, my boy," His father murmured. "You and I will have to look further into what happened but that has been enough for today."

Number Four stared at his father, uncertain about how to handle the sudden change in speaking to him. Most days were spent being reminded that he needed to learn to behave and stop being a bad influence on his brothers and sisters.

Reginald gave one last squeeze then stepped away. "Go upstairs and finish reading the lesson that was assigned."

"Yes sir," Four murmured and ran out of the room. He nearly took out Number Two in the process. The siblings hadn't gone very far since their father was unpleasant most days. They weren't exactly eavesdropping but they wanted to make sure Klaus wasn't left crying or anything.

"What was that about?" Two raised an eyebrow as the three of them made their way upstairs.

"I don't know," Four glanced at his brothers and brought his voice down to a whisper. "But he was nice. He's never nice to me."


	11. Running just as fast as we can

A fit of giggles erupted from the five children that sat at the counter, the woman behind it looking relieved to see them laughing. The children in their uniforms were regulars at Griddy's, often showing up in groups of three or four. She never caught their names but knew them by face and almost always had their favorite donut at the ready for them before they got around to ordering.

"N-no," Number Two shoved another piece of donut in his mouth then shook his head. "I don't think I can eat anything else after this."

"Me neither," Number Seven laughed softly. Donuts were the only times she and her siblings ever got to bond outside of occasionally speaking at the academy.

"I could keep going," Five shook his head. "But it's looking like Six or Four could too."

As if on cue, his brothers locked eyes with each other and shook their heads.

"What do we get out of it if we do?" Four raised an eyebrow at him. Six looked equally as curious.

"The knowledge that you can eat the most donuts," Five shrugged. "Two and Seven are out so that leaves us three to try to prove we're best."

"One could probably win," Seven added with a soft laugh and shook her head.

"T-too bad he and Three decided against j-joining us," Two shook his head.

"Can we do one more donut for everyone?" Five's question earned a few groans as an answer. "What, we can save the uneaten ones for our brother and sister."

His words earned a nod from everyone. The woman that worked there returned with the most spectacular looking donuts she could offer.

"On the house," She murmured. "Since it seems fitting to give my best customers a taste of the most popular ones from the menu."

"Thank you," The five children said in unison. Four, Five, and Six each claimed a donut and took a bite from it. Two and Seven looked on with slight interest and disgust. They didn't go to leave until their brothers had finished their fifth donuts.

"This can't have been a good idea," Number Six groaned once they paid for their meal. The five took off running the moment they got outdoors. Having placed bets on who could eat more than the rest of the family made them run later than planned when it came to sneaking back home.

They arrived, panting, outside the academy and traipsed over to the fire escape that led to Five's bedroom. Seven held a small bag with a few donuts in her hand. She took the lead on climbing and didn't struggle with forcing Five's window open.

The children gave a sigh of relief once safely inside. Quick hugs were exchanged then they darted off to their rooms, knowing they needed to get ready to check in with their father.


	12. Hazy shade of winter

"You will be taking your marks today," Reginald announced during breakfast. The children looked up at him. Their expressions were all mixed looks of confusion.

"What do you mean, Father?" Number One asked. The others nodded in agreement to show they were thinking the same thing.

"You will be taking on the mark of The Academy this morning," He beamed. "Seven, you will be upstairs practicing while your siblings' efforts become permanent."

"Permanent?" Number Six spoke before he could stop himself. He immediately looked away from his father and shoved a piece of waffle in his mouth to show he was done speaking out of turn.

"Permanent," Reginald nodded. "A friend of mine has agreed to give numbers one through six one of the best gifts I could possibly provide you with. We will be visiting him once you get the dishes done."

The children anxiously rushed through their morning chores. They met outside their father's office once through and nudged the door open. He raised an eyebrow at them but did nothing else to acknowledge them at first.

The six stood up straight and exchanged wary glances with one another. He never had time for them so why would something he planned be any different?

"I take it your chores are up to my expectations, Number One?" He put his work down then stared at the blond.

"Yes Father," One smiled. "Pogo sent us down to talk to you."

"Excellent work," He stood from his desk and looked each child over. "We will leave now."

The family gathered in the sitting room. An extra chair was added and a stranger was in the room, chatting with their mother. He earned a warm greeting from Reginald and the children couldn't help but feel jealous of that fact.

"Four will be going first," Reginald narrowed his eyes at the boy. "I expect you to show your siblings this is nothing worth fussing over."

"Yes sir," Four timidly approached the chair his father gestured to. The man beside it gave him a warm smile.

"Your left wrist please," He murmured. Four looked confused but pulled the sleeve of his shirt up. The man moved his wrist so it was seated on the arm of the odd-looking chair.

A buzzing noise filled the air then the man pressed a pen to Four's skin. The siblings looked on with concerned expressions and became rather alarmed when Four whimpered and flinched in the seat.

"You mustn't move, Number Four," Reginald hissed out. His son had his eyes closed, face was contorted by an unreadable expression. Four didn't move or cry though. He bit the inside of his cheeks and could taste blood.

"Three is next," Reginald announced when the buzzing noise died down. Four slowly opened his eyes and was shocked to find an umbrella etched into his skin. He swallowed back a sob that was threatening to escape and gave his sister a smile when she approached the chair. Their father had made it clear he was to set the tone of the day's adventure so he needed to show it wasn't something to be scared of.

"Thank you, sir," Klaus whispered. His voice cracked when he left his spot, standing off to the side so he could watch his sister get her mark.

Three got emotional halfway through the tattoo. The man went over a sore spot and the child cried out in pain. Four bit his lip to keep from whimpering. She came to his side once done and Four pulled her in for a hug.

She was sniffling and sad looking. Those emotions left Four struggling to keep his own feelings at bay. A choked back sob from Three caused him to shift and hold her closer to him, not saying anything past the occasional sniffle that escaped from his lips. His chin rested on the top of her head and he murmured a low apology for what she went through, using the hand that wasn't around her to wipe away tears that were forming in his eyes.

Tears were a sign of weakness, or so his father claimed, but Four couldn't allow Three to sob into his shoulder without a few of his own emotions being present. She seemed to appreciate his openness and leaned up to kiss his cheek, whimpering out a low thank you for his vulnerability.


	13. See what's become of me

**CW: Slight references to suicide attempt and self harm**

Ben stood in front of the bathroom mirror, stomach reeling as he looked over his reflection in it. He was coated in blood - head to toe in someone else's blood. It was the only thing he could smell and it took all of his self-control to focus on not sobbing on the way back to The Academy.

One had done it again. He bullied him into using his powers despite his not wanting to kill people. Father will be disappointed. You need to show you're part of the team. Don't be weak, Ben. The so-called words of encouragement played in the back of his mind. He felt like he was going to be sick but the act had been done in the hope that maybe, just maybe, there would be a day where his father looked at him and said he was proud of him.

A choked back sob passed through clenched teeth then the teenager lost it, sobbing hysterically as he ran his bath. He only took the baths at scalding since he believed it was what he deserved after causing so much bloodshed. The water ran until it was nearly overflowing, bubbles forming a thin layer at the surface of it. He turned it off with a whimper then pulled out a washcloth and slowly undressed.

Getting into the tub prompted Ben to hold his breath, slowly submerging himself until his whole body was underwater. He had tried drowning himself before but it only ever resulted in his gasping out for breath and spluttering on the water - ultimately not worth the number of tears each attempt created.

The water took on a tinged copper tone, his eyes fluttering open once he needed to put his head back above the surface. He let a loud sob then began to forcibly scrub the blood off every inch of his body. The material was rough against his skin, leaving him gritting his teeth as he rubbed his arms raw. He would not stop until the blood was all off of him, his own mixing in with the mix of stuff that came off his skin.

He remained in the water until it cooled. Sobs rapidly left his lips but he paid little attention to it, only moving when the water began to feel like ice. He allowed it to drain then gave another sob, fingers digging into his shoulders when he stood up and spotted the giant stain he left on the base of the tub. Ben dragged his nails down his shoulders and scratched in an attempt to get himself to stop fixating on the stain.

The next step was to run a shower with the water at the hottest it could go. He cast aside the old washcloth and took on a new one, this one taking on a lighter shade of red as he cleaned himself. His sobs subsided but crying did little in calming the ache in his chest.

He was a monster and there was nothing he could do about it.


	14. Looked around for my possibilities

The task had been too much on Ben. He was left hyperventilating, unable to quiet down the sobs that were leaving his lips once he was cleaned up and ready for dinner. Panic settled in and he was stuck in the hallway, hands clenching into fists and reopening again each time he took a breath. He wanted to scream but the hallway to where their bedrooms were was not the ideal location for that. Instead, he stood still and tried to take steadying breaths the way his mother taught him to.

_In through his nose, hold for three seconds, then out through the mouth._ He was three breaths in when someone interrupted him. A quiet "Ben?" was all it took for him to unravel. The tears came pouring out of his eyes, sobs coming out in uncontrollable gasps.

"Ben," The voice was louder this time around. Ben managed to open his eyes wide enough to get a glimpse of Vanya through his bleary eyes. She stepped forward then cautiously put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a moment to realize she was only there for support. Her touch made him lean into her, arms moving to hold her in a tight hug.

She didn't shush him, merely humming and rubbing his back in an awkward attempt at showing support. The two stood alone in the hallway. They didn't move for several moments. Ben managed to get his breathing under control and pressed his forehead against Vanya's shoulder, blinking through tears when he looked up at her to murmur something.

"I'm a monster," He mumbled against her shoulder and gave a muffled sob. "I-I-I—I didn't sign up for this or any of the –" His thought was interrupted by the tears taking over again. Vanya stood up straight and shook her head, the hand that was tracing circles along his back, stopping so she could give him a firm hug.

"You aren't a monster, Ben," Vanya exhaled. "You're my brother and I love you. So, don't say that." Ben looked up at her upon hearing that. "I'm sorry they made you use your powers again."

Ben didn't know what to say so he shook his head and kept quiet, teeth digging into his lower lip so he could muffle the hiccoughs that were now trying to escape his lips.

"Klaus said there are no ghosts following me around," Ben shook his head. "But I—I don't believe him after today." He closed his eyes and shuddered, causing Vanya to resume rubbing his back. "Eight lives, Vanya. The tentacles took eight lives that – It could have been settled without my unleashing the tentacles. Dad wants me to be a hero but I—I don't see it. I would rather be like you."

"You don't want to be like me, Ben," Vanya shook her head. She would have said more if it weren't for the sound of someone clearing their throat. The two jumped apart and stood up straight, looking relieved to discover Pogo.

"Master Benjamin, Miss Vanya," The monkey addressed the two. Ben wiped away the tears that remained by his eyes and gave a sniffle of acknowledgment. "You are nearly late for dinner."

"Thank you, Pogo," The two said in unison. Vanya took a step forward. "Please let father know we will be there in a moment." Pogo nodded and departed. Ben gave Vanya a sheepish expression and mumbled a thank you.

"It's nothing," Vanya shook her head. "I care about you, Ben. Crying isn't a good look on you so I'll do whatever it takes to cheer you up." She chewed at her lip then took his hand. "You can sleep in my room tonight if that will ease your nerves."

"I would like that," Ben murmured. "Please." He squeezed Vanya's hand then lead the way to the kitchen, letting go of her just before they reached the doorway. The two took their usual seats at the table and acted as though nothing had happened.


	15. Time, Time, Time

An alarm went off and the sounds of children scrambling around their bedrooms cut through the otherwise silent Academy. Reginald Hargreeves stood at the top stairwell with Number Seven at his side. The child held a stopwatch and did not look thrilled to be with her father. The Monocle gave an exasperated sigh and stopped the alarm, knowing his six other children understood that the timed challenge had begun.

The obstacle course was elaborate and set up in a way that he presumed would take at least ten minutes to complete. A reward was offered for whichever child finished first. The only catch was that said child was expected to be perfectly in uniform and to have shown proof of using their abilities when the tape was played back of the whole ordeal.

As predicted, numbers One and Two took the lead, their bickering heard from the floor that contained their bedrooms. They were in a shoving match that allowed Number Three to easily pass by them. Things went fine until the trio hit the stairs, alarmed to find Five halfway up the flight. Four and Six followed closely behind them. The five children elbowed their way up the flight, Number Three using the bickering as an excuse to use her powers.

"I heard a rumor you all let me pass and gave me a twenty-second head start," She grinned when the four stepped aside, unaware of what happened until after the head start passed.

"That's cheating," Two shouted and went to throw a dagger after her (with no intention of hitting her) and was stopped by One's grabbing him by the wrist and squeezing. They struggled a moment and tripped Four on their way up the stairs, the two bolting once the knife was away. Six had passed the two in the process but quickly retreated back down the steps until he was beside Four, panting slightly but looking unbothered nonetheless.

"They didn't bother to look back?" He scowled and offered a hand to Four. "Are you hurt? We can make it up the stairs together if you want."

"They never do," Four rolled his eyes. "And I'm never in a rush to win. I would have levitated and skipped the stairs all together but extra time with Father doesn't sound fun."

"You can say that again. I don't even care about winning," Six whispered. "But we do need to finish in a timely fashion. We don't need a repeat of his making us run through the stupid thing until we got it done in under five minutes."

Four winced at that and got back to his feet, waiting for Six to take the lead.

"We'll do it together," Six clarified then took a step forward. He gave an annoyed look when Four didn't move with him. "That way it's both of us taking the brunt of his annoyance instead of it falling on one."

"Fair," Four murmured then the two took off, breathing heavily once they were up the stairs. Their father wasn't in the usual spot so they exchanged wary looks then rounded the corner, nearly taking Number Seven out in the process.

"Nine minutes and fifty seconds," Their sister exhaled. Reginald stood beside her with a clipboard in hand. He was busy scratching notes down. Six got a glimpse of the stopwatch and gave her a confused look. The thing clearly stated that it had taken longer than ten minutes. He didn't dare question it though and gave her a small smile instead.

"Your brothers and sister took less than half the time to finish," Reginald sniffed. His expression stated he required an explanation.

"I fell," Four met his father's gaze and held it a moment then looked down at his feet. He went to continue but Six beat him to talking.

"You want us to act as a team," Six looked Reginald in the eye and maintained eye contact, standing up straight the whole time he spoke. "I turned back for him since the others were the reason he got left behind in the first place."

"Very well," Their father resumed jotting down notes on his clipboard. "You will try it again after super. There will be no lollygagging this time around. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir," The boys nodded in unison. He didn't like being called Father so sir was the next best phrase. It was that or 'The Monocle' and that one was only saved for severe offenses.

"You may go," Reginald waved them away. "Thank you for serving as timekeeper, Number Seven."

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated! If anyone has suggestions of scenes they would like to see written up hmu.


	16. Seasons Change With the Scenery

Reginald Hargreeves did not believe in celebrating commercial holidays. He had zero tolerance for any of it but Pogo had been the one to suggest otherwise. The children were too serious - even as toddlers - so lightening up during the holiday season was a must. It meant getting to see the children smile and having a day of no training. Gifts were introduced at age three and had become a family tradition that Reginald begrudgingly participated in. He made it clear that there was no Santa Claus and the children understood that from a young age.

Number One was the first to wake up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he tried to place the incredibly unfamiliar scent. He was surprised to find red and green colored pajamas laid out for him. His eyebrows furrowed together but he didn't question it. He slowly dressed then looked at himself in the mirror, unable to stop smiling at the outfit. It looked ridiculous — green shirt and red, white, and green striped bottoms. Being ten years old left him buzzing with excitement, quickly running to Three's room and quietly nudging open her door.

"Sis," One whispered and gently nudged her. "It's Christmas. Come on, get up." He was greeted by a groan and her rolling over to cover her head with a pillow. One remained quiet then tugged the pillow off Three's head and smacked her lightly in the back with it. "Come on," He whined. "We need to get the others."

"I'm coming," Three mumbled. She sat up and gave him a questioning look. "Those pajamas are ridiculous."

"You have matching ones," He chuckled then threw a set of pajamas at her. The only difference between them was the color of her shirt. The girls got red while the boys had green.

"Brilliant," She grinned. "Now get out so I can change. I'll get Two, Six, and Seven if you want to get the others."

"Can't we leave Two for last?" One groaned. "He always makes a big stink about everything."

Three merely fixed him with a glare. It was enough to make him stay quiet and take the hint to leave the room, allowing himself into Five's room with little complaint.

Rather than be polite, One jumped onto Five's bed and shook his shoulder, not stopping until his brother shoved him off the bed.

"Mmph," One groaned but beamed up at his brother. "Wake up sleepy head. It's Christmas." Five glared at him. His look softened when he spotted the holiday pajamas. As stubborn as he was, he secretly adored swapping gifts with his siblings and the hot chocolate and meal Grace prepped every year.

"Fine, fine," Five grumbled but remained in bed, stretching to crack his back.

"All of us will attack if you aren't in the hallway in the next five minutes," One narrowed his eyes at Five then went to the door, about to close it. "And that's not a threat."

Waking Two up proved to be a challenge for Three. He was a sound sleeper and she was certain he slept with a projectile object under his pillow. Tapping him lead to disaster the last time so she opted for grabbing the pajamas then pulling his comforter off. Two sat upright with his fists ready to attack just to be greeted by Christmas pajamas to the face.

"Put those on," Three smirked at him. "Then meet me at Seven's room. It's Christmas so don't start with anyone."

"Whatever," Two glowered at her. He slipped the green pajama top on despite the uninterested look he gave her. Three turned on her heel and moved onto Six's room, looking puzzled upon discovering an empty bed. She let the door close then glanced down the hall, catching One's gaze just before he went to let himself into Four's room.

"I think you've got Six in there too," She murmured. "He's not in his room."

One muttered an okay then awkwardly pushed Four's door open. Four and Six were already up. Six was laid across Four's bed with a book in hand and Four was already in his pajamas, going off about some dream he had.

"Oh, you're up," One muttered. "That saves me from having to question what you were up to. Six go get dressed then meet in the hallway. Mom must have left your pjs in here."

He shut the door after that, leaving his brothers making faces at him from behind his back.

Seven, Two, Five, and Three were already in the hallway. Five looked exhausted but was talking to Seven. Two and Three were standing on opposite sides of the hallway. They both appeared incredibly happy, whispering while they waited for the rest of their siblings.

"Hurry up, Six," Four murmured once he left the bedroom. Six had a book in hand as he headed down the hall to meet his siblings. His rushing to get dressed left him with the shirt on backwards, his face flushing when he discovered his mistake and flipped it around on his way out of Four's room.

"Well," He gave One a nervous glance since he was technically speaking out of turn. "What are we waiting for?"

"Let's go," One rolled his eyes. The seven traipsed down the stairs, stopping just at the bottom since Pogo and Grace were waiting with a camera. Grace was dressed in a red and black plaid gown, a wide grin on her lips when she spotted her children.

"Morning mum," Two greeted her. Pogo gave the children a nod in greeting.

"Act like you like each other long enough to pose," He chuckled, a smile lingering when the children complied. The flash of the camera went off then he took two more pictures. "You're free to get breakfast now."

Several gasps filled the air when the kids entered the dining room. It was completely transformed. Snowflakes, garland, and a tree were some of the highlights along with a small train set that ran around the center of the table.

"It's beautiful," Seven gave her mother a hug. The children inched toward the tree and were surprised to see several gifts underneath it. They usually got two each year but Six was adamant that each sibling make something or give a gift to each other. It was a nice little surprise.

"We will eat first," Grace nodded. "Once Pogo returns with your father. Please get by your seats."

A groan escaped from the kids upon hearing that. "Now children," Their mother sighed. "Your father was kind enough to allow you to sleep in this morning. It would be best that you seem happy about that."

"He's always too busy for us," Three shook her head. "He probably won't even—" The rest of her thought hung in the air since Reginald appeared. He was frowning but had a festively themed tie on. His gaze hardened when he neared the head of the table. Their usual morning record was replaced with Christmas music, the new songs odd enough to make the kids hesitate before taking their seats.

Breakfast passed in silence and ended with the children all thanking their mother for the meal. They anxiously waited for their father to dismiss them so they could open their gifts but he was intent on making them sit still until he finished his food.

They were getting antsy but disguised it by playing with the hem of the tablecloth and whispering to one another.

"You are dismissed," Reginald announced as he lowered his glass of eggnog to the table, turning his chair so he was facing the tree. He had to give his children some credit since they politely walked to the tree instead of running and attacking the useless pile of gifts that were beneath it.

Pogo and Grace separated each child's gifts into a small pile to save them confusion. The room was full of excited gasps as the children opened their gifts. Grace and Pogo orchestrated getting the seven gifts that they most wanted, based off of keeping an eye on the children for the whole year, while items from Reginald were meaningless and often things that they wanted little to do with.

One was beaming. His big gift for the year was a record player, each sibling having gifted him a record they thought he would appreciate. His father gave the children new domino masks for the start of the year. Seven got more resin for her violin.

Two gave the most excited gasp out of the bunch. An amp was the first thing he opened followed by a music book and a bass guitar. His siblings pitched in to get him an engraved dart board.

"Seven did you…?" He cradled the guitar and brought it over to his sister. "YES." The exclamation caused Reginald to groan out loud. His son paid little attention to him.

"We can finally focus on forming that band," Seven grinned. She had received a similar set to what Two had. Hers was simply an electric guitar though. Her siblings weren't exactly sure of what to get her so they each drew her a photo and made handmade cards, knowing she would likely pick that over something that was store bought.

Three got new clothes and a large vanity to go in her bedroom, complete with a feather boa. Her siblings also got her makeup to fill the drawers to it.

Four was the hardest for Grace and Pogo to pick something. He was the most loving of the children and always seemed happy with whatever he got. They settled on getting a gift certificate to a clothing store since he had been caught in Allison's closet. His siblings got him several books of corny jokes and puns.

Five looked pleased with his spread. The family worked together to get him college-level history books and inscribed notes on the inside.

Six was by far the easiest to shop for. The child loved reading so new books were always a must for his birthday and Christmas. They bought him a bean bag chair that was small enough to hold him and be transported around the house. It had a pouch on the outside that could hold a book and other small objects.

The children fell silent once they were done opening gifts. They gathered together and whispered softly then approached their father. Knowing he hadn't really taken the time to get to know them was painful but they couldn't outwardly express that on a day when they were supposed to be happy.

"Thank you, father," Number One offered a small smile. "We appreciate today more than I can find words to explain."

"We made you something," Two added. His gaze was glued to his feet since he disliked the way their father treated them.

"Happy holidays," The rest of the children said in unison. Seven was the one to offer the card to him. Reginald took it but didn't bother opening it, instead of looking his children over with an unreadable expression.

"Thank you for the presents," Seven whispered then retreated to behind her siblings.

"Get that junk upstairs," He exclaimed. The children's expressions faltered and they muttered a yes sir before grabbing their stuff and departing. One reappeared to grab Three's vanity and carry it upstairs.

"You're too harsh on them," Grace sighed once One was out of sight. "They were happy to spend time with you."

"They are meant to be heroes, not children," He shook his head. "They will thank me when they are older."


	17. Hold on to your hopes

Bedtime was a routine for the Hargreeves children by the time they hit age nine. They would eat dinner in silence with each child feigning interest in whatever cassette their father left playing in the background. Seven, Six, and Five opted for reading books while Two and Four made faces at each other from across the table. One and Three always had conversations without needing to speak. The connection was impressive to the few siblings that caught on.

Once dinner was through, they would wait to be dismissed. Bathing, brushing their teeth, and getting into pajamas always took a little bit of time. They would all gather together once done, waiting for Grace to say goodnight to everyone before heading to their beds.

"Can we say goodnight to Father?" Three asked. The question earned a groan from her brothers and sister.

"Why, so he can ignore us as usual?" Two hissed out. Four and Six nodded in agreement.

"It's been weeks since we did," Three shrugged and bit her lower lip. Her voice was a whisper when she continued. "Maybe he'll say something this time." She cast a glance at Number Seven in the hope of being backed up.

Seven's eyes widened when their eyes met. She gave a nervous nod before speaking. "Maybe he will."

The boys shared a look of annoyance before sighing and turning to face their mother.

"Can we say goodnight to Father?" One didn't sound all that excited in asking but that was better than shutting down the suggestion altogether.

"I don't see why not," Grace shrugged. "He may be busy though." She didn't want to get their hopes up too much.

She led the way down to Reginald's study then politely knocked before sliding the door open.

"Sir, the children would like to say goodnight," Grace smiled and stepped aside to reveal the seven kids behind her. They all stood in silence, waiting to be acknowledged.

"Your father is a very busy man," She sighed after allowing them to wait two minutes to see if he did anything. "Time to run off to bed."

The children began to head their way toward the stairwell, unaware that Three stood rooted to the spot. Her fingers clenched into fists and she was seething.

"Why won't you look at us?" The child hissed out. She looked even more distraught when Reginald didn't look up from his paperwork. Number One took a step back toward her.

"Three don't," The warning was unheard as the girl stormed into the room. She got halfway to the desk before Reginald lurched from his seat.

"Why did you take us in if—" The rest of her thought was lost to her father raising a hand on her. Occasional smacks to the boys weren't unheard of but he had never laid a finger on her or number Seven.

His hand met the side of Three's face, the sound of the slap echoing loudly in the otherwise silent study. The child tripped over herself from the blow, her elbows taking the fall with a thud that caused her siblings to jump. One and Two were ready to charge their father.

"Nobody move," Reginald growled out before any of his other children set foot in the study. He loomed over number Three, looking incredibly satisfied when she scrambled back toward the doorway— not having stood up for fear of another blow landing.

"S-s-sorry," She whimpered and put her hands up over her face, peering at him through her fingers. Her brothers and sister held their breath, cautiously eyeing their father.

"This transgression has earned you and your siblings no meals for tomorrow, Number Three," He scowled down at her. "We will continue with training as usual. Any complaints will earn a more vigorous course of action."

None of the children said anything. They were all looking up at Reginald. The boys had their jaws clenched, focused on not saying anything that would make the predicament any worse than it already was. Three couldn't be blamed since they all wondered the same thing, constantly questioning if their father truly cared for them. Seeking approval always resulted in a similar reaction.

"Reginald, they only wanted to say —" Grace's words were interrupted by a sharp "enough," from The Monocle.

"They were told to never enter my study. An example must be made. You will not allow them in the kitchen tomorrow. I will have Pogo keep an extra eye." There was a beat of silence as he gave a disgusted look to each of the children in his care. His nostrils flared when his gaze rested on Number Three.

"I expect better of you," He scowled. "Now join your siblings." Three nodded to show she heard him then got to her feet. Her siblings swarmed around her the moment she exited the study. One and Two stood in front of her. The other boys narrowed their eyes at their father and Seven took hold of her hand.

Reginald wrinkled his nose then returned to his desk, making a point to get back to work before addressing his children. "You are dismissed."


End file.
